Inclusivity Statement

RAIN values inclusivity for our staff and the entrepreneurs with whom we work.

• RAIN wants everyone to feel welcomed and comfortable at our events. Please contact us if there are any accommodations that we can make for you that will encourage your participation and we will do our best to meet your needs. Accommodations may include things such as reserving front row seating, an advance copy of slides to be projected, wheelchair access, language translation, childcare needs.

We strive to foster an atmosphere where all team members, entrepreneurs, and volunteers–whatever their gender, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation or identity, education or disability–feel valued and respected. We are committed to a nondiscriminatory approach and provide equal opportunity for employment and advancement in all programs.

As leaders in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, we are committed to maintaining an inclusive environment.

To provide informed, authentic leadership for inclusivity, RAIN strives to:

• Carry out our mission in a manner that ensures the prosperity of the entrepreneurial communities we serve.
• Ensure all entrepreneurs and stakeholders have equitable access to our services, systems, and programs, and continually update and report organization progress.
• Explore potential underlying, unquestioned assumptions that interfere with inclusivity.
• Advocate for and support board-level thinking about how systemic inequities—especially for rural residents–impact our work and how best to address that in a way that is consistent with our mission.
• Practice and encourage transparent communication in all interactions.
• Commit time and resources to create representative leadership within our board, staff, committees, and advisory bodies.
• Lead with respect and tolerance for all people and viewpoints